If you have a cold that lasts more than 10 days, you may be suffering from sinusitis, a condition that affects one in eight adults and causes inflammation and infection of your sinus cavities. Dr. Saul M. Modlin offers innovative services to help his patients manage this condition in the setting of his Garden City, New York office. Call Dr. Modlin today or schedule an appointment online.

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What is sinusitis?

Your sinuses are the hollow spaces in the bones around your nose. They connect to your nose by small, narrow channels. Your sinuses stay healthy when the channels are open, which allows air from your nose to enter your sinuses and mucus produced in your sinuses to drain into your nose.

Sinusitis occurs when viruses or bacteria infect your sinuses and begin to multiply. This often happens when you’re suffering from a cold. The lining around your sinuses swells in reaction to your infection, blocking the channels that drain your sinuses. This causes retention of mucus and pus in your sinuses, leading to facial pressure and pain.

What are the symptoms of sinusitis?

If you have acute sinusitis, your symptoms may last up to four weeks and are usually caused by bacteria or a virus. If your symptoms last for 12 weeks or longer, you’re suffering from chronic sinusitis with prolonged inflammation.

Symptoms of chronic sinusitis include:

  • Cloudy or colored drainage from your nose
  • A stuffy, congested, or blocked nose
  • Pain, pressure, or fullness in your face, head, or around your eyes

How is chronic sinusitis treated?

If you suffer from chronic sinusitis and your medications aren’t helping, or if you have recurrent acute sinusitis, you may be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty (BSP) uses a small, flexible balloon catheter to open up your blocked sinus passageways. This facilitates drainage of infection.

Balloon sinuplasty is a less invasive option than traditional sinus surgery, and it’s just as effective at helping to relieve the symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Traditional surgery involves an operating room, general anesthesia, and the removal bone or tissue from your nose. With balloon sinuplasty, Dr. Modlin performs the procedure right in his office, with a local anesthetic and minimal recovery time.

If you’re suffering from sinus pressure or pain, or you’re constantly congested, call or book an appointment online with Dr. Modlin today.